Unusual Attractions
by ThePrincessTigerLily
Summary: A series of one-shots dedicated to under-appreciated pairings in the fandom...Chapter 3- Asa's life has become a series of ironies...Asa/Emma
1. Pudding

So…I decided to start a series of one-shots dedicated to unsung pairings in the Charlie Bone Universe. I feel that most one-shots are focused on only a few couples, so I am going to try experimenting with some definitely non-canon couples…so, here for your benefit, is a little Lysander/Olivia (don't ask, just read…)

P.S. This fic occurs in the same realm as my other fic _Of Flour, Love, and Blueberries_, but you don't need have read that to get this…

Disclaimer: _Charlie Bone_, all characters, places and related terms belong to Jenny Nimmo

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_Pudding_

"The worst kind of pudding is definitely chocolate pudding," Lysander grumbled, poking his spoon murderously into his pudding cup.

He was sitting on the steps outside the Pet's Café, waiting for Tancred. Ever since his best friend had started dating Emma Tolly, Lysander felt that most of his time was spent waiting for Tancred. Usually the storm-bringer would rush in late, his hair sticking up and looking idiotically happy. Then there would usually be a five to ten minute conversation about how great Emma was and how lucky he (Tancred) was. Lysander tried not hold it against Emma, after all, she was his friend, but he was beginning to get tired of waiting.

He'd begun to think his luck had changed when Mrs. Onimous brought him a homemade pudding cup, but the discovery of the flavour had sent him into an even deeper state of melancholy.

His melancholy was interrupted when the door to the café was flung open and Olivia Vertigo stormed out, muttering under her breath. At the sight of Lysander, she stopped and turned a deep shade of red.

"Sorry, I just…thought I was alone," she said, running a nervous hand through her hair, which today was an almost navy blue. Absently, Lysander wondered how her hair could look so shiny when she dyed it all the time. His thoughts were interrupted when Olivia suddenly plunked herself down next to him.

"You look thoughtful," she remarked, smoothing her yellow skirt as she made herself comfortable. "Contemplating the mysteries of the universe?" When he didn't respond, she continued. "I was waiting for Charlie. He said we were going to have lunch, but apparently he decided that lunch with Naren would be more appealing. I wouldn't have minded, if he had told me…but he didn't." she trailed off and looked at him expectantly.

Under normal circumstances, Lysander would have just nodded at her and gone back to sulking about his pudding, but for some reason, he found himself saying "I know what you mean. I've been waiting for Tancred for awhile. Ever since he and Emma started dating it's just…" He sighed, mildly surprised at how willingly he'd volunteered the information.

A fairly taciturn person, Lysander didn't really care to share his problems with anyone. However, there was something about Olivia's sympathetic face and expressive grey eyes that made him want to talk and, more importantly, say something she'd find impressive.

Olivia considered his words, and then nodded in agreement. "Sometimes it's hard being a _you_ when all your friends have suddenly become a _we_. I mean, you want to be part of them, but at the same time, you wish you could go back to a time when everyone was just a _you_," she shrugged a little, and they fell into a companionable silence.

The lull in conversation gave Lysander took an opportunity to glance sideways at Olivia. She was dressed as outlandishly as usual, but somehow managed to look extremely fetching. Her dark blue hair framed her face, accentuating her eyes, and her glittery cardigan sparkled in the sunlight. He suddenly wished that he was better friends with the illusionist. Until today, he couldn't remember having any actual conversations with her. They were both endowed, but he was a year older and normally thought of her as Charlie's friend. He was surprised to find her so engaging and, well, attractive. He was finding he wanted to spend more time with her and find out what she liked to do for fun, how often she changed her hair colour, and if she preferred coffee or tea.

"What?" Olivia suddenly said, breaking his reverie. "Is there something on my face?"

Normally unflappable, Lysander found himself scrambling for an excuse. He didn't know what it was about Olivia, but she seemed to be able to take his normal life and turn it inside out. He couldn't remember a day when he had reacted so unusually to someone. He realised she was still looking at him, waiting for his explanation. He couldn't tell her he'd been staring at her, so he opted for the first thing that came into his flustered mind.

"I was just thinking about pudding," he said, thinking that, as conversation starters go, this was probably not the best way to begin. However, Olivia seemed to accept the change of subject, and produced, seemingly from nowhere, a cup of pudding.

"Mrs. Onimous insisted," she said, her eyes dancing.

"Is it chocolate?" Lysander asked, attempting to peer into her cup.

"No, tapioca," she responded, her expression going from sunny to morose as she glanced into the pudding cup. "I hate tapioca."

"Well, it could be worse," Lysander said, "it could be chocolate."

"Why would that be worse?" Olivia frowned in confusion.

"Because chocolate is the worst pudding flavour to ever be invented," Lysander responded flatly, glaring at his pudding.

"Nah, I would say tapioca," Olivia said, examining her own cup with dislike. "It's full of those weird balls, and it tastes all funny. Nobody likes tapioca, or if they do, they're probably lying."

"It's not for everyone," Lysander agreed, "but some people like it. Personally, I don't mind it. It's different, but good. But chocolate? Chocolate is just boring. Everyone knows what chocolate tastes like, and nobody is interested in it."

"I like chocolate pudding," Olivia said.

Something in the tone of her voice made Lysander turn to look at her. She was looking seriously back at him, her eyes searching his face. He had a feeling they weren't talking about pudding anymore.

"I…," he began, but before he could utter a coherent sentence, Olivia had leaned in and pressed her lips to his. Lysander's brain officially switched off. When they finally pulled back for air, he was aware that one of his hands was tangled in her hair, and her arms were hooked around his neck. He suddenly understood Tancred's expression. Looking down at Olivia's face, he noticed that she looked more surprised than a kiss instigator should look.

Pulling back slightly, he said "I don't normally do stuff like this…I mean, I'm not usually the…emotionally demonstrative type. I'm sorry if I…you know…offended you or anything."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Offended? Lysander, why would I be offended? I mean, _I_ kissed _you_. I just wasn't expecting…" she broke off, grinning, "But I liked it. Two _you's_ making a _we_."

Lysander pulled back the rest of the way, suspicion setting in. "Are you sure this isn't just to make a _we_ since you are tired of being a _you_?" he asked, wondering why he felt as though he'd developed sudden heartburn.

Olivia gave him a confused look, but as understanding dawned, she scooted closer, placing her hand on his arm "I'm sorry, I tend to muddle things sometimes. I didn't mean it like that. Lysander, I told you, I like chocolate pudding. I have for a long time."

Lysander gaped at her.

"A long time?" he finally managed.

"Yeah. I mean, you're really clever and loyal to all your friends and I always thought that maybe if we got to know each other…we could be...friends," she said, blushing.

"Just friends?" Lysander asked, his heartburn inexplicably gone and a decidedly warmer feeling taking its place.

"Well, maybe more than friends…I mean, now that I've jumped you and everything," Olivia grinned, standing and brushing off her skirt.

Lysander stood up and grinned back, feeling better than he had in a long time. From what he'd learned about Olivia Vertigo in the past minutes, he had a feeling that life was about to get a lot more interesting... and he wouldn't be waiting for Tancred anytime soon. He reached out and took her hand, entwining their fingers. Looking down at the blue haired girl next to him, he remarked "Well, it seems I've also developed a fondness for tapioca."

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Ok, so I know that in the books Lysander has a girlfriend…who I have nothing against…but I'm pleading artistic license…

So what did you think? Loved it? Hated it? Have another unusual pairing you'd like to see? Please Review or PM me and let me know!!


	2. Flood

Ok, so this is an idea that has been pinging around in my head for quite awhile, but I've had some problems actually getting it into writing. It is a bit more angsty and serious than chapter one, but I was fairly pleased with the results. It's a weird pairing, but I'm strangely intrigued with it…

Disclaimer: _Charlie Bone_, all characters, places and related terms belong to Jenny Nimmo

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Flood

The streetlights cast a dim radiance on the streets as Emma Tolly made her way home to the bookstore. It was nearly midnight, and she was coming from a late night study session at Olivia's house. The two girls had an exam the following week, and Olivia had wanted to study as much as possible before the actual exam (although Olivia's idea of studying usually meant baking cookies or dying her hair).

Despite the time, Emma knew her aunt probably wouldn't be overly concerned with her current whereabouts. In spite of her initial protectiveness, Aunt Julia had mellowed considerably since she'd begun seeing Paton Yewbeam. Sometimes Emma wondered if her aunt would even notice if she came home at all. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt guilty. She truly liked Charlie's uncle, and was glad her aunt was happy. She just sometimes missed being the centre of attention.

As she neared the bridge, Emma was aware of a subtle shift in the air. It seemed to grow colder, and for a moment, she was sure she could smell salt. She paused warily, glancing around, but upon seeing no one, continued forward, but at a slower and more cautious pace.

When she was halfway across the bridge, she caught sight of a slim figure leaning on the edge. Although it was dark, Emma recognized the boy's angular frame and crinkly hair. Even though it was cold, he was dressed simply in a t-shirt and jeans, and was staring intently into the water below, as though hypnotized. For a moment, she was tempted to turn around and go home another way, but told herself he was only a boy, and that if anything happened, she could always just turn into a bird and fly away. As she set foot onto the bridge, she tried to walk softly so as not to attract his attention.

However, when she was nearly past, he turned, fixing her with his clear aquamarine eyes. "You can smell the sea tonight. Normally you can't this time of month."

Emma stopped. Although she'd never really talked to Dagbert Endless, she'd overheard conversations and been struck by his melodic voice. When it was directed at her, she found his words froze her in place, and she turned slowly to face him. She noticed that he didn't smell like fish close up; he smelled like salt and sand and sea-breezes. He didn't say anything else, just stared at her, his ice-blue eyes roving her face. Emma was about to turn and leave when he spoke again.

"I just came out to…get away. You have to, sometimes." Standing there, he looked like any other lost boy, and Emma had to remind herself that this particular boy had nearly killed her friends, and she shouldn't feel anything for him, let alone empathy.

"My friends almost _died_ because of you," she said, her voice tight. She knew that it probably wasn't the best idea to anger Dagbert Endless, but she was overly anxious to banish the unwanted feelings of compassion that arose whenever she looked at him.

"Of course, I'm sorry. You shouldn't want anything to do with me." Instead of getting angry, he just sighed, and turned back to the river, unconsciously echoing Emma's inner dilemma. Emma knew if he had been angry, she would have left, but the utter defeat in his face made her pause and walk slowly to the edge of the bridge, leaning her elbows on the railing next to his. He turned, surprised, and said, "You're still here." Emma just shrugged, and for a moment they were quiet. Finally, Emma worked up the nerve to break the silence.

"Why did you do it?" For a minute, she thought he wasn't going to answer, but he put his hand in his pocket, and she heard a soft chiming as he played with whatever was in his pocket. Finally, he looked back at her.

"I don't think I really have an answer. Why does anyone do anything? I have a gift, and I am expected to use it. Besides, my father…" he trailed off and looked down again. Emma had never heard anyone say a word with such loathing. When he said the word _father_, she heard layers of hatred and years of conflict.

"Your father…?" she prompted.

"My father does not tolerate mistakes. I do what I am told, or I will suffer the consequences. We are extraordinary people, and he demands that I use my gifts in the proper manner. I've done things that may be morally wrong, but I'd rather be morally wrong than do something my father thinks is wrong." Dagbert pulled his hand from his pocket and leaned back on the railing, gazing bleakly out at the water. He looked so far away and so lost that Emma instinctively reached out to cover his hand with her own.

"Dagbert?" He flinched at the touch of her hand and Emma wondered how many people had actually touched Dagbert Endless before. She nearly jerked her hand back, but when he made no attempt to move his fingers away from hers, she continued. "We've all done things we aren't proud of. That's what makes us human. It's the ability to deal with those mistakes and change that makes us special, not just super-human abilities. Sometimes we need to take responsibility for ourselves, and stand up for what is right, even if it's hard."

"I'm just afraid if I do stand up, I'll lose everything that really matters," he looked at her seriously. "The sea means everything to me. If I stand up to my father and lose, I don't know what I would do." Emma said nothing, just squeezed his hand tighter and felt him shift his fingers to entwine with hers. She knew that this was really the only comfort she could offer. She couldn't imagine hating her parents, or knowing that someday she would have to kill them. Instead of pursuing the topic, she looked up at the sky. The night was clear and full of stars, and the moon cast a drowsy light on the town.

"I've always loved the sea," she said. "When I was little, I would imagine that I was a sailor spending my nights on the ocean under the stars." Dagbert smiled, relaxing his arms against the bridge.

"My mother used to point out the constellations to me," he said, gazing up at the stars as well. "She showed me Orion, Cassiopeia, and the Pleiades. It was always our special time together. I haven't looked at the stars in a long time though." He looked back down at her, and Emma could see the stars reflected in his aquamarine eyes. For some reason, she found her hand drifting upwards to rest lightly on his cheek. This time, he didn't flinch, and instead stared directly into her eyes.

"I really am sorry for the way I treated you, you know," he murmured, his voice lowering as he moved closer.

"You can't just do what other people tell you all the time. Even people as powerful as the endowed aren't always right," Emma whispered back, wondering if he was going to kiss her and why, if she really disliked him, she felt so excited by the thought.

"I definitely don't think I'm always right," Dagbert said, "in fact, I'm getting a whole new outlook on life."

Then he kissed her.

Emma had been kissed before. She'd had a brief summer romance with a London tourist named James, and she'd also kissed Charlie on a dare at Olivia's Halloween party (the former she remembered fondly, while the latter made her cringe with embarrassment). However, all her previous kissing experience paled in comparison to kissing Dagbert Endless. No matter what her mind told her, her body felt that if she could just remain attached to his mouth for the rest of her life, she could die happy.

"You taste like strawberries and wind," Dagbert whispered, his hands moving to cup her face.

"You taste like salt and fresh mint," Emma said. He laughed and kissed her again, arms wrapping around her waist. When they finally broke apart, Emma looked up at Dagbert apprehensively. She didn't usually kiss boys like that.

"I don't usually kiss girls like that," Dagbert said, his eyes lighting with sudden nervousness.

"It's ok," Emma said, thinking that, as kisses went, this one was more than ok. When she opened her mouth to tell Dagbert this, what came out was "What time do you think it is?" He squinted at the sky and said "About one-thirty, I'd guess."

"I've got to get home!" Emma said, eyes widening. As much as Aunt Julia wouldn't notice if she came in at midnight, one-thirty was probably pushing it.

"Wait," Dagbert said, looking confused, "You're just leaving? Can we…I mean…if you're not doing anything tomorrow, do you want to…hang out…or something?" Emma thought for a moment. She'd never kissed a boy and _then_ decided to get to know him, but then again, Dagbert Endless was definitely no ordinary boy.

"I'd like that," she said, wondering how on earth she'd ever explain this, but finding that she actually _did_ want to spend time with Dagbert. She liked talking to him, liked seeing that he was as human as everyone else. Plus, his skill in the kissing department couldn't be denied.

His face lit up in a genuine smile, and she turned to go home, pulling her coat around her while frantically thinking up excuses for her lateness. She'd almost made it across the bridge when heard his voice again.

"Emma!" She turned to see Dagbert sprinting after her. She stopped and he caught up easily, reaching to place something in her hand.

"What is this?" Emma asked, looking down at the golden fish in her palm.

"My mother gave these to me before she died, for protection. They help me control my powers, and they remind me of her. I want you to have one, just to remember me by," Dagbert said, curling her fingers over the piece of sea-gold and then walking back towards the bridge, eventually disappearing beyond it.

As she walked home, Emma reflected that being with Dagbert was like being in a flood. It was unpredictable, intense, but somehow strangely exciting. In fact, she rather hoped it would keep raining.

End

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Ok, I know…it's a Dagbert/Emma. You have to admit, it's kind of interesting…he's kinda like an anti-Tancred, so I figured if E/T works, why not try this? (Maybe, if I get lots of reviews, I'll actually turn this into a full-length story) So, REVIEW…please.

On another note- I will hopefully be providing an update sooner this time than this chapter. I've been working on a Charlie/Olivia, and I also have another E/T in the works (but it may not be up for awhile because I'm having problems coming up with non-cliché ideas…)


	3. Captivity

Okay, so I haven't updated this thing in forever…(my excuse is that I've been really preoccupied with schoolwork, and also with writing Thread, which is becoming way more complicated then I thought it would be…) but I got this idea for Asa/Emma who are my new pairing of awesome!

Disclaimer: Charlie Bone and all affiliated characters and terms belong to Jenny Nimmo

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Asa hated everything. _No_, he decided, _everything was too broad a term_. He decided to narrow it a little. What he actually hated was the irony of life, the fact that everything he thought he wanted, he didn't really want after all.

After Asa had been kidnapped and his entire family nearly destroyed, he and Charlie had agreed it would be safer for him not to go back to school. In fact, Asa and his mother had planned to flee the city altogether. Charlie however, had come up with a different solution.

"Why not hide here in town?" he'd asked Asa. "This city is your _home._ You shouldn't have to leave just because of the Bloors. Besides, they won't be expecting you to hide right under their noses. It'll only be temporary anyway, until we can figure something better out." After many hours of discussion, Asa and his mother had reluctantly agreed.

So, with the help of Charlie's friends, the Pikes had found a tiny apartment in town. They closed the blinds, locked the doors, and bought some real disguises. Various people would drop off food every week, and Asa was surprised that Charlie was right. The Bloors never suspected anything. At least as far as Asa knew (although he didn't know much since he barely ever left the house). But it had been almost two months and no one had come running in with pitchforks, so Asa assumed his whereabouts were still relatively unknown. However, Asa found out very quickly that hiding wasn't as much fun when he was just sitting and waiting for something to happen.

He'd never really cared about school before, and spent most of his time wishing he was outside; running, or walking, or just being _gone_. That was why the idea of spying had originally been so appealing. It was a way to get out of school, to be out and away from the choking confines of the school building. He even liked the idea of becoming someone else; it was a type of shapeshifting the rest of the world accepted without comment.

Now, he hated not being able to leave home without disguising himself, hated not being able to go to school, and hated not having the freedom to run where he wanted when he wanted, but mostly he hated Emma Tolly.

Since Charlie couldn't visit him, ("Too dangerous; someone might suspect," he'd told Asa) he'd appointed Emma the official "Asa Entertainer," and she dropped off food and occasional news of the outside world (Asa mostly suspected Emma just did it because no one else wanted to). He wasn't sure why she kept coming, since all they did was fight. Mostly he found himself picking fights with her over little things when he was bored, and it amused him that she never failed to rise to his bait.

-x-

Emma entered the flat through the side door on a Thursday evening, her arms laden with books. Asa had raised an eyebrow at her from where he was lying sprawled on the sofa.

"I hope you don't actually expect me to read all those," he'd said, making no move to get up.

She'd given a rather unladylike snort. "Oh, I assume you have something better to do? A ceiling crack to stare at?" When he'd made no reply she'd continued, "Aunt Julia says books are a way of freeing the mind."

"Has Aunt Julia never heard of television?" Asa stood and examined the copy of The Brothers Karamazov with distaste. "Besides, I'd rather my body be free than my mind."

"It wouldn't kill you to try to improve your mind, you know," Emma had replied tartly.

Asa had just grinned at her. "You didn't happen to bring any chocolate, did you?"

"You are infuriating!" Emma said, stamping her foot. "Just read the stupid books."

-x-

He'd never imagined quiet Emma Tolly as the type of person who would get angry, but she did. Her normally pale cheeks flushed and she tended to use big words (like _infantilize_ or _exacerbate_) while crossing her arms or stamping her feet.

Asa told himself the reason he enjoyed the fights so much was because he had nothing else to look forward to, and he was just craving human companionship, but sometimes other people visited and it wasn't the same (Charlie's Uncle Paton, while well-meaning, was just _boring_). He realized with a growing sense of alarm that he was actually beginning to enjoy her presence.

"Do you and Torsson ever fight?" he'd asked her one rainy afternoon when she came to drop off yet another book he would probably never read. He'd found out in the first few weeks about her relationship with the stormbringer and rarely missed out on the opportunity to tease her about it. That day though (after the revelation that he might _like_ being around her), he'd felt uncharacteristically serious.

"I don't know," Emma had said slowly, trying to assess if he was making fun of her or not. "Not really. I mean, we never really disagree about anything."

"Oh…because you two are always busy saving the world," Asa said matter-of-factly.

"No," she said, her cheeks flushing, but it hadn't been her usual fight-with-Asa flush. This one went deeper, and was definitely a sign of embarrassment. "I just…he doesn't …we don't talk about things that make us upset, that's all. He always has the same opinions I do anyway."

"Doesn't that get boring? Having someone who always agrees with everything you say?" Asa asked.

"No," Emma had said stiffly, avoiding his gaze, "Tancred and I are just _fine_, and our relationship isn't any of your business anyway."

"It just seems that never disagreeing could be unhealthy," Asa said, knowing he was on thin ice, but continuing regardless, "Maybe it's just because you two just have a lack of passion. Stagnant relationship and all that," he'd added, partly because he knew it would make her upset, and partly because secretly, he thought it might be the truth (although he wasn't exactly sure why he cared).

Emma's eyes had flashed, and Asa knew at least he'd succeeded in making her upset. "For your information, we have _plenty_ of passion, and the only reason we don't fight is because Tancred isn't as irritating as you are!" She'd stood up and brushed off her skirt. "Enjoy your books," she said, angrily stalking out of the apartment. Asa had watched her go, half disappointed and half amused.

-x-

It was when the weather warmed (Asa knew this since Emma started bringing flowers along with books) that he reached a breaking point. He'd been in the apartment for almost four months, leaving only occasionally in disguise. The breaking point had occurred on a Wednesday. He'd slept late, and had emerged bleary-eyed from his room when Emma had arrived. She'd just raised an eyebrow at him, left, and returned later that day with a copy of The Diaries of Anne Frank. He'd just stared at her.

"Is this supposed to make me _like_ being here or something?" The words came out harsh and bitter instead of teasing, and he was mildly surprised at his own tone. They'd reached a point in their squabbling that was closer to playful banter than fighting, but this was something else altogether. This statement was raw and desperate; angry. For a moment Emma just stared at him.

"No," she finally snapped back, "It's supposed to make you realize that other people had it worse than you do. At least you have food, and it's not like you're _actually_ a prisoner."

He gave a humourless laugh. "No, I'm not a prisoner. More like a ghost, while everyone else goes on living without me. I don't even exist anymore…to anyone, do I? You only come because Charlie told you to. If you had your way, you'd be with the stormbringer, because you two never have _any_ problems; you _never_ fight." Asa was almost ashamed of the obvious loneliness in his voice; the desperation, but he forced himself to meet Emma's eyes, daring her to contradict him.

To his surprise, she said quietly, "You don't know anything about me and Tancred, and you don't know why I come here. But you're _not_ a ghost. You're just living in an in between stage right now."

Asa sighed. "Emma, I am going seriously crazy here. You don't know what it's like. It's like being trapped, all the time, like being in a cage where I can't run or change shape." He moved closer, intensely holding her gaze. "You either have to find something for me to do or some way for me to help or I swear, I will break out of here and do something insane."

Belatedly, Asa realized that he'd nearly backed her into a corner, and she was staring up at him, eyes wide. The only sound in the room was the sound of their mingled breathing and Asa was aware that somewhere in the last few moments he'd crossed some sort of line that had been clearly drawn between them from the beginning (After all, she had a _boyfriend_). But he'd been stuck in that house for four months, without really seeing or talking to anyone else. Almost unconsciously, he let his hand drift upward, so it was almost touching her hair. He stopped just shy of touching it, his eyes holding Emma's. She made no move to stop him, instead she stepped nearer, their bodies sliding together and her eyes fluttering closed.

Glancing down at her face, Asa was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of…he wasn't quite sure what (she had a _boyfriend_, what was she doing with _him_, didn't she _hate_ him?) He took a few panicked steps backward and Emma's eyes shot open and they were gazing at each other with what Asa was sure were identical expressions of shock. Then Emma pushed past him and out the door and Asa wanted to kick himself. He'd never hated captivity more in his life.

-x-

After the...incident…Emma just…didn't come over anymore. Asa didn't realize how _quiet_ his house was without her. He found he didn't quite know what to do with himself without Emma around. He moped around, and finally started reading the huge piles of books she'd brought. It wasn't until halfway through The Brothers Karamazov, when he was deeply engrossed in the lives of Dmitry, Ivan and Alexei did it occur to him that his behaviour wasn't exactly normal. That was when he decided he hated everything, and Emma Tolly specifically. He'd been _fine_ until she'd messed up his life.

-x-

After three weeks of misery he was awakened one Tuesday night by the sound of pebbles hitting his window. For a heart-stopping moment he thought it was the Bloors; that they had discovered him and it was all over, but when he peeked out the door, he found Emma Tolly standing on the step.

He blinked at her, completely shocked.

"Come on," she said, pulling him out the door in his pyjamas and bare feet. He didn't have time to ask where they were going, since every time he tried to ask she would simply put a finger over her lips. Eventually he stopped asking. He realized he didn't really care. He was happy just to be outside, and happy just to see her again. They moved quickly through the dark, silent town and finally stopped inside the forest.

"Here," Emma said, stopping and removing her shoes.

"Umm," he said, "What are we doing?"

She just looked at him like he was an idiot. "You said you wanted to get out. Well, here we are…out." She waited a few more moments and when he continued to stare at her she shrugged and said "Come on!" and proceeded to shape shift.

Asa had never actually seen another shape shifter before. He found himself transfixed, watching as Emma's body transformed into the shape of a graceful owl, and he watched as she spread her wings and disappeared among the trees. The night was cold, and he'd forgotten how _bright _the stars were. He felt so completely free, like he could run and run forever, and in that moment, he knew that Emma felt the same way. Glancing up, he could sense more than see her above him, and he suddenly knew that she understood that feeling of freedom every time she shifted; understood better than anyone ever could.

He removed his own pyjamas and closed his eyes, allowing the change to come over him. He'd nearly forgotten this as well; the feeling of being connected entirely with his senses, smelling the forest around him and feeling it like a forgotten friend. He could smell Emma too, far above him, but still near. He stretched then, glancing around the forest, and then began to run.

He lost track of how long they stayed out in the cool dark forest, feeling the air rush past him, but eventually he began to sense her anxiety and reluctantly shifted back into human form. In a few moments Emma was back beside him, and words seemed suddenly inadequate so they walked back through the forest in silence.

It wasn't until they reached the edge of the forest that he turned to her a little awkwardly. Asa wasn't quite sure what to say, how to describe what she'd given him, so in the end he settled for an awkward pat on her shoulder and a mumbled, "Thanks." It was the first time he'd touched her voluntarily since that night, and he felt Emma freeze under his touch. He jerked his hand back and took a few steps ahead of her. He was almost out of the trees when he heard Emma speak.

"Tancred and I aren't dating." Her words stopped him as surely as if she'd placed a hand on his shoulder and he felt himself tense.

"You're not?" Asa wasn't sure if he should turn and face her or not, so he stayed still with his back to her.

"No." He felt, rather than saw, her approach him, and slowly turned to look at her. "You were right," she continued, "about us. It turned out that what I thought was there wasn't there after all."

He smiled a little. "What did I say? Stagnant relationship."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry by the way, for how I acted last time I visited. I wasn't thinking."

"It's alright," Asa said (wondering if she regretted it, and hoping she didn't), "I read those books. All of them."

Emma raised a surprised eyebrow. "All of them?"

"All of them." He paused. "I'm not always a jerk, you know."

Emma grinned. "I know." She paused, then said, "I missed you. More than I thought I would. I missed fighting with you, and that's when I kind of realized that Tancred and I were…scripted, almost, and I didn't want that. I like surprise endings." Then she reached out and very carefully took his hand, lacing their fingers together. Meeting Asa's surprised eyes she added, "I told you, you're _not_ a ghost."

As they walked back to his house, Asa reflected on the irony of life. It was true that everything he thought he wanted, he didn't really want at all, but he found that he didn't hate everything, and he didn't hate Emma Tolly at all.

The End

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